Bridgestone, Tornel, Continental and Michelin requested the Mexican government to initiate an anti-dumping investigation against certain imports of tires from China.

As a result, the Ministry of Economy accepted the request of these companies and declared the initiation of the anti-dumping administrative proceeding on imports of new pneumatic tires of radial construction for automobiles and light trucks.

These tires have a nominal inside diameter of 13 to 22 inches (330.2 mm to 558.8 mm, respectively).

Likewise, the Ministry of Economy established the investigation period from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, and the injury analysis period from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022.

Initially, on November 30, 2022, Bridgestone de México, Compañía Hulera Tornel, Continental Tire de México, Industrias Michelin, (the Petitioners), as well as their intervener, the National Chamber of the Rubber Industry (CNIH), requested the initiation of the administrative investigation procedure for unfair international trade practices, in the form of price discrimination.

The Petitioners stated that the imports from China under conditions of price discrimination and with undervalued prices, maintained an important and growing participation in relation to the total imports, displacing the national merchandise, causing a decrease in the volume of their sales.

At the same time, these imports contained the price, so the domestic industry was affected in its relevant indicators.

Tornel

The companies also indicated that these imports constituted a threat of injury to the domestic industry.

The companies presented arguments and evidence in order to support their petition, which are included in the administrative record of reference.

Bridgestone, Tornel, Continental and Michelin are companies incorporated under Mexican law. Among their main activities are, among others, the manufacture of tires, purchase, sale, import and export of rubber products, as well as the preparation, elaboration and manufacture of all kinds of auto parts, including those containing rubber for all types of transportation.

The petitioners indicated that the inputs used for the manufacture of pneumatic tires of radial construction are rubber/rubber (synthetic or natural), steel, textiles, carbon/silica black, as well as antioxidants, oils, resins, rubber and chemicals in general.